Objectives: Besides psychological and social effects, biological, biochemical and genetic
factors also play a role in the background of suicide. The aim is developing a complex model
incorporating all the above factors so that suicide could be predicted and prevented in those
at risk. Based on several studies 5-HTTLPR s allele frequency is increased in case of violent
completed suicides. The aim of the present study was to validate this association in a sample
of completed suicides. Methods: During autopsy sample DNA samples were obtained for
5-HTTLPR genotyping from 200 subjects deceased due to suicide and 200 controls deceased
due to other causes. Chi square tests and logistic regressions were performed according
to additive, dominant and recessive models to analyse the possible association between
5-HTTLPR genotype distribution and suicide. Results: Ratio of violent and non-violent suicides
was 81% and 19% respectively. No significant difference was found in the distribution of
5-HTTLPR genotypes between the suicide and controls samples. No difference was found
between violent and nonviolent suicides with respect to genotype distribution. A significant
association was found between sl genotype and suicide at a younger age. Conclusions: Our
pilot study did not support the supposed association between 5-HTTLPR and completed suicides or with violent completed suicides. However we found a significant association between
sl genotype and suicide in young suicidals.

Keywords: serotonin transporter gene, 5-HTTLPR, violent suicide, nonviolent suicide, completed suicide

Aims: Current evidence on the psychological effects of antihypertensive medications is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of current antihypertensive medication on different psychometric parameters and on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level. Methods: Psychometric, haemodynamic, arterial stiffness and laboratory parameters were evaluated before and 3 months after the initiation of antihypertensive medication in untreated hypertensive patients (HT, n=31), and once in healthy controls (CONT, n=22). Subjects completed the following psychometric tests: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire, Big Five Inventory, Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire and Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire. Amlodipine and/or perindopril compounds were preferred medications. Serum BDNF was measured with ELISA. Results: Brachial systolic blood pressure, as well as pulse wave velocity were significantly improved in the HT group over the 3-month follow-up (153.3±15.9 mmHg vs. 129.5±10.0 mmHg and 8.2±1.4 m/s vs 7.5±1.6 m/s, respectively). Similarly, we found improvements in BDI (0.73 points) and in several Scl-90 subscales. Serum BDNF was not different between CONT and HT and did not change for therapy. Conclusions: Our results indicate that initiation of currently recommended antihypertensive medications in newly diagnosed patients may have a significant impact on psychological well-being of patients and could influence quality of life as well.

The comorbidity of migraine and depression is well-known. Patients with both conditions show stronger headache-related symptoms, a more severe clinical course and higher risk for migraine chronification. Therefore, it’s important to identify factors underlying comorbid migraine and depression. The growing body of literature suggests complex, biopsychosocial mechanisms in the background, including shared genetic risk factors and abnormal brain mechanisms, and also different environmental (stress) and psychological variables (for example: rumination, neuroticism). In this short review we summarize the most important findings regarding the interacting factors in the pathomechanism of the co-existence of migraine and depression. Finally, we conclude some therapeutical considerations regarding treatment of patients with the migraine-depression phenotype.